US9693139B1ActiveUtility

Systems and methods for electronic sound enhancement tuning

84
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECH LLCPriority: Mar 30, 2016Filed: Mar 30, 2016Granted: Jun 27, 2017
Est. expiryMar 30, 2036(~9.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
H04R 3/04G06F 3/165H04R 2499/13H04R 3/00G10K 2210/51G10K 2210/1282G10K 15/02H04R 2430/00
84
PatentIndex Score
7
Cited by
11
References
17
Claims

Abstract

Example systems and methods for electronic sound enhancement tuning are disclosed. An example disclosed method includes sampling, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of a vehicle. The example method also includes comparing the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile. Additionally, the example methods includes, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, applying a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile, and iterating until the target audio profile satisfies a similarity threshold.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of enhancing sound in a vehicle, the method comprising:
 sampling, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of the vehicle; 
 comparing, with a processor, the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile; and 
 when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, applying, with the processor, a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio profile is a first audio profile, and the method including, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy the similarity threshold:
 downloading the target audio profile to the vehicle; and 
 sampling, with the microphone, a second audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle using the target audio profile to enhance the engine noises. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target audio profile specifies an audio signal to play on speakers of the vehicle based on revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sampling the audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle includes driving the vehicle so that an engine of the vehicle cycles from a minimum revolutions per minute to a maximum revolutions per minute. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the convergence function is based on differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the convergence function adjusts the sampled audio profile by values greater than the differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus to enhance sound in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 an audio capturer configured to sample, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of the vehicle; and 
 an audio tuner configured to:
 compare the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile; and 
 when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, applying, with a processor, a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the audio profile is a first audio profile, wherein the apparatus includes an audio flasher and wherein, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy the similarity threshold:
 the audio flasher is configured to download the target audio profile to the vehicle; and 
 the audio capturer is configured to sample, with the microphone, a second audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle using the target audio profile to enhance the engine noises. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the target audio profile specifies an audio signal to play on speakers of the vehicle based on revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein to sample the audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle is configured to drive so that an engine of the vehicle cycles from a minimum revolutions per minute to a maximum revolutions per minute. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the convergence function is based on differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the convergence function adjusts the sampled audio profile by values greater than the differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:
 sample, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of a vehicle; 
 compare the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile; and 
 when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, apply a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile. 
 
     
     
       14. The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the audio profile is a first audio profile, and wherein the instructions cause the machine to, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy the similarity threshold:
 download the target audio profile to the vehicle; and 
 sample, with the microphone, a second audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle using the target audio profile to enhance the engine noises. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the target audio profile specifies an audio signal to play on speakers of the vehicle based on revolutions per minute of the engine of an vehicle. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the convergence function is based on differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the convergence function adjusts the sampled audio profile by values greater than the differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.

Cited by (0)

No later patents cite this yet.

References (0)

No backward citations on record.